From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Cause and prevention of fires on 3 1/2 Litre Bentley cars.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 3\6\ 06-page166 | |
| Date | 9th May 1934 | |
| COPY. To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} From Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} c. to C. c. to U. c. to Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} c. to P. c. to Hy.{Tom Haldenby - Plant Engineer} c. to RP. c. to Ex. c. to JJS. c. to Sft.{Mr Swift} c. to Ba. FIRES ON 3 1/2 LITRE BENTLEY. We arranged at Ely. that Mr. GWB. should meet Mr. Baring to ascertain the exact cause of the fire on his car. We attach herewith copy of a report on the visit. We recommend that the following modifications which will definitely prevent any further risk of fire - The S.U. carburetter Company have accepted the responsibility of providing modified parts for all the carburetters supplied. They will arrange to supply us with a float chamber cover which is fitted with a drain pipe which can be connected up to the existing pipes on Bentley cars. We expect to have the first set of parts from them in three or four days time. As soon as we have approved of the scheme they will give us a promise of how quickly they can supply them. At the same time they have satisfied themselves that the cause of the flooding can be overcome by modified clearance and modified needles. As these parts are fitted into the float chamber covers they will be supplied as a part of the modification. As regards the proposal for doing away with the hand flooding device on the carburetters we are not in agreement with this. As long as we satisfy ourselves that there is no possible risk of fire we see no advantage in doing away with this fitting. We have found it at times a definite disadvantage on R.R. cars not being able to know whether there is any petrol in the carburetters or not. If a car stops on the road the very first point one wishes to ascertain is whether there is any petrol in the float chamber. The present hand flooding device on the Bentley makes this easily possible. With regard to the loose sparking plug terminal, as soon as we prevent the petrol being sprayed over the engine the risk of fire will disappear but we find that the present terminals do vary in manufacture and if not fitted correctly can cause a short of the ignition, so that we agree that it would be wise to fit the screwed type terminals at the same time as this modification is being carried out. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||